Improvement in railroad switches



l. r. LINTHICUM'.

Railroad Switches,

Patented June3', 1873.

Wi/m/JM I [gy mrnura'umasmpmc 00. um osaamvs's mm) UNITED STATES JOHN F. L INTHIOUM, OF VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH HIS RIGHT TO IRA GILCHRIST, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILROAD SWITCHES.

Specification-forming part of Letters Patent No. 139,589., dated June 3, 1873; application filed December 12, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. LINTHIGUM, of the city of Vallejo, county of Solano, State of California, have invented a new Railroad Switch, of which the following is a specification: l

The purpose of the invention is to operate switches on railroads; and its general nature consists in providing an attachment plate of peculiar construction connected with a chock and bar, and operated by rods and, levers, so that the attachment plate and its connections cooperate to move the switch-rails and hold them in position when moved. The shafts and levers can be placed at any distance on the track from the switch either way, and operated by one or more arms under the control of the engineer in the engine-room.

Figure l is a top view of my machine, applied to a straight track, having one side track. Fig 2 is a side view of the switch.

The letter A represents a view of the attachment plate. The letters B B are the iron rods, and O O are swivels. E E are the shafts, and F F the levers. G G represent the plummer-blocks; H H, the arms supporting joints in the rods; .1, the iron bar connecting the switch-rails, and to which the attachment plate is connected; and J the chock to hold the switch-rails in their places. The rails are indicated by K K, and the ties by l. The attachment plate consists of an iron plate of the general form shown. This plate swings on a pivot secured to a tie between the rails, and

is attached to the bar I connecting the switchtongues. The chock is attached to a tie and is moved by the attachment plate, and is intended to hold the switch-rails in position when moved by the levers. The switch is operated by an arm projecting outward from the head of the cylinder of a locomotive, which, coming in contact with the levers and passing over them, gradually swings the switch-rails from one side to the other of the track. The levers are slightly curved to give a gentler motion when first pressed upon by the arm and afterward move with accelerated speed. The levers are attached to the shafts in any manner that may be desirable, so as to give them strength and durability. Underneath the shafts are arms of the necessary length to give the switch-rails sufficient play, and to these arms are attached the rods connected with the attachment plate. At HH are joints in the rods supported and moving.

nected with the bar I by a wrist passing through a slot near the point of the plate, as indicated in-the drawing. The bar I. is firmly and securely attached to the switchrails on each side, so that the movement of the attachment plate to either side will carry the switchrails with it. The chock consists of two short iron bars, connected to each other near their inner ends and at right angles, but working loosely on a rivet, one arm playing upona pivot, as indicated in the drawing.

a The chock is moved by the attachment plate so as to catch the switch-rail when moved into position and hold it securely until its position is changed by the levers.

But one chock is shown in the drawing, but another may be placed on the opposite side of the attachment plate,it' deemed desirable, and operated in the same manner.

0n the side of the switch on which the double track is located the iron rods pass under the rails and cross each other soas to secure the desired mbvement. With these exceptions they are similar in all essential particulars to the rods on the opposite side. 7

The levers may be placed at any required distance from the switch-rails so as to give ample rooin for the passage of trains 'of cars backward and forward, and admit of the operation of the switch. When the levers are placed at a considerable distance from the switch the iron rods may be supported by passing through sheaves and resting upon rollers which will hold them in position and.

at the same time reducethe friction.

In operating the switch, when a lever is pressed down by the arm the corresponding lever on the same side of'the track will be lowered in like manner, while both the levers on the opposite side of the track will be raised; so that the switch may be operated with perfect safety, and a misplaced switch is impossi ble if the engineer attends to his duty.

Should the switch at any time get out of order and become unmanageable, the switchrails may be easily detached from the attachment plate and operated by hand by connecting with the bar I on the outside of the rails.

The entire machinery may be securely protected from the weather by coverings of sheet iron, except the levers and the space occupied JOHN FLOYD LINTHIGU-M.

Witn esses H. A. PEABODY, J. FOURRIER LEoLERo. 

